An Iowa State CIRAS study showed the biobased products industry employed more than 100,000 people as of 2010.

Visible Progress in Commercialization tells a story of tremendous growth. The first Renewable Fuel Standard was adopted by Congress in 2005, but the rules were only put in place in May 2007, five years ago. Annual biofuel production at that time stood at about 3.9 billion gallons of ethanol and 112 million gallons of biodiesel. Now annual ethanol production is more than 13 billion gallons and biodiesel is more than 1 billion gallons.

Five years ago there were five operating cellulosic biofuel biorefinery pilot plants and about 20 other planned demonstration and commercial projects. There were also two operating biobased plastic biorefineries. Today, there are many more and also many more kinds of biorefineries – ranging from advanced and cellulosic biofuels, to algae production, to biobased products and renewable chemicals.

There are more operating demonstration and commercial biorefineries – and a number of cellulosic biofuel biorefineries under construction and set to begin production in the next few years. These projects aren’t just a plan or an idea anymore, but actual projects that are having an impact on rural communities, creating employment opportunities and revitalizing shipping and transport areas.